Very Frequently Asked Questions

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Very Frequently Asked Questions

Elice Garcia Elice Garcia User Support User Support Coordinator Coordinator

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UQ Systems

• Several systems used for data production

– PeopleSoft for student and applicant data

(SInet)

– Aurion for staff (HR) data

– ResearchMaster for Research data – Masterpiece for Finance data

– Many other smaller systems used across

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UQ Data Warehouse

• Data collections include Student, Staff, Finance, Research, Space and National Data (and other)

• 3 IT Staff

• 3 User Support Staff

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UQ Data Warehouse

• Datawarehouse runs on MS Sql Server • Business Objects was chosen as BI tool • Deploy Full Client (DeskI) via Citrix

Metaframe

• Users can create ad-hoc queries

• Some users access online standard reports only (Reportal)

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Very Frequently Asked Questions

Keeping everybody happy Keeping costs down Ensuring quality outcomes

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Very Frequently Asked Questions

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How do we keep everybody happy?

• Related questions –

– How can we ensure that our sponsor keeps

supporting and funding us?

– How can we get senior executives

interested?

– How do we get other key staff onside? – How do we deal with the data owners?

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How do we keep everybody happy?

sponsor

senior executives other key staff

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Tips

Executive Sponsor

• Choose the right sponsor • Communicate frequently • Develop initiatives that

– they will enjoy; and

– will make them look good

• Show them happy users • Any opportunity

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Strategies

Executive Sponsor

• Send updates

• Target appropriate visitors

• Tailored reports in ‘my documents’

• Quick response to new systems and system upgrades

• Whole of organisation reporting –

– all data collections

– ‘operational’ as well as

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How do we keep everybody happy?

sponsor

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Tips

Other Senior Executives

• One sponsor is not enough

• Target the group and individuals • Know who they are!

• Choose the correct approach

• Always respond quickly and be available • Make yourself known to key support staff

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Strategies

Other Senior Executives

• Personal visits, especially to new

executives to demonstrate the system and discuss their BI needs

• Tailored reports in ‘my documents’

• Work closely with their key admin staff and ensure that there is at least 1

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Initiatives

Other Senior Executives

• Key Statistics – drill down

• Xcelsius – Fee Modelling and dashboards • The Reportal

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Initiatives

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How do we keep everybody happy?

sponsor

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Tips

Other Key Staff

• Vital to get influential support staff onside

• Identify groups and individuals

• Reward their support in a visible manner • Respond quickly, be available and

approachable

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Strategies

Other Key Staff

• Provide demos/presentations to these groups and seek feedback

• Offer individual training and/or consultancy visits • Work closely with their key admin staff and

ensure that there is at least 1 BusinessObjects ‘champion’ in each user area

• Respond quickly to requests for standard reports to assist with planning etc.

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Initiatives

Other Key Staff

• Strategic planning reports • Faculty portals

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How do we keep everybody happy?

sponsor

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Tips

General BI Users

• Respect your users • Be responsive

• Provide strong support services • Encourage initiative and sharing • Keep it simple

• Identify areas of need • Think like a user

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Strategies

General BI Users

• MIS culture

• Referral groups

• Strong training program

• Workshops and information sessions • Web site built around user support

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Initiatives

General BI Users

• User Forum

• User Awards and “Friends of BusinessObjects” Award

• Faculty portals – ‘operational’ areas

• On-line customisable finance reports for academic staff

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Initiatives

Very Frequently Asked Questions

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How do we keep costs down?

– How can we support a large number of

users?

– How do we deal with training issues?

– How do we meet reporting needs for a wide

and varied range of users?

– How do we cope with ad hoc reporting

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Tips

Keeping Costs Down

• Place responsibility appropriately • Provide online resources

• Keep a simple approach

• Encourage users to help themselves and others

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Strategies

Keeping Costs Down

• Use BusinessObjects metadata and other resources

• Develop a BI Portal • Utilise your website

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Initiatives

Keeping Costs Down

• Remote shadowing

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Very Frequently Asked Questions

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How do we ensure quality outcomes?

– How can we maintain a large number of

reports?

– How do we deal with complex reporting

solutions?

– How do we ensure good communication

within and outside our BI provider area?

– How do we ensure consistency and

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Tips

Ensuring Quality Outcomes

• Be aware of maintenance issues – do not over produce complex reports

• Audit report lists regularly and dispense with unnecessary reports

• Vet all reports before publishing

• Encourage sharing of information and reporting initiatives

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Strategies

Ensuring Quality Outcomes

• Develop standard recognisable formats and guidelines for publishing

• Develop internal systems that ‘centralise’ information about reports and user

communication

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Initiatives

Ensuring Quality Outcomes

• Job Tracker

• Use data from internal systems • Best practice guides

• Universe (data collection) Update Guide • Complex formulae created from our end • Validation reports (surveillance)

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SI-net User Tables User Tables User Tables Operational Data Source Data Warehous e Copy BASE TABLE Surveillance Business Objects Business Objects Data Warehouse Data Warehouse Transform BusObj Reports

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Questions

http://www.uq.edu.au/mis